Anatolian Heritage Federation (AHF) strongly condemns the car bombing in Reyhanli-Hatay/Turkey which killed more than 50 innocent people and injured several others. AHF mourns the loss of civilians and offers its condolences to the families of all who have perished at the hands of the terrorism while wishing a speedy recovery to those injured as a result of this atrocious act. We urge everyone of all faiths to join us in praying for the victims and their families.
We are repulsed by this heinous act of terrorism and lament the loss of innocent life. Turkey is a key NATO ally to Canada in the Middle East, and the Anatolian Heritage Federation regularly sends members of our community to Turkey to witness the country’s diverse culture and to foster mutual respect abroad. We are deeply saddened by this atrocity, particularly in a country where we have many close ties.
As prominent Turkish scholar Fethullah Gulen said the attack, which targeted Hatay, a symbol of a culture of peaceful coexistence, had unleashed a great sorrow. He said people will respond, while preserving common sense, to those who have targeted the moves that aim to restore social peace and brotherhood in Turkey. As an organization whose mission is to promote peace, respect, and dialogue in the world, we feel it is our duty to publicly condemn hateful catastrophes like these, so we may continue persevering toward our ultimate goal: a peaceful international community.
We hope that continued dialogue between countries and cultures will ignite an international conversation toward peace and mutual understanding.
